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Vigil in West Valley City honors memory of fallen Officer Cody Brotherson

Posted at 7:35 PM, Nov 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-09 23:45:49-05

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A crowd of well-wishers gathered outside West Valley City Hall Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil to honor the memory of a police officer who was killed in the line of duty Sunday.

Officer Cody Brotherson was hit and killed Sunday morning during a police pursuit after he got out of his vehicle to deploy tire spikes and was struck by a vehicle occupied by three juvenile suspects ages 14, 15 and 15.

Wednesday night, police and members of the community came together for a vigil at the plaza outside city hall. Officer Brotherson’s patrol car has been at that plaza for several days and was covered with cards and flowers by the time of the vigil Wednesday night.

“Thank you for being here and sharing with us our grief,” Chief Lee Russo, West Valley City PD, told the crowd. "This has changed us all and certainly something I know we will never get over."

The program included musical numbers by a group from Granger High School and remarks from West Valley City Mayor Ron Bigelow and officer Austin Kimball, one of Cody's closest brothers in blue.

"I got to spend the last shift with Cody," Kimball said. "I can remember every conversation I had with him that night, as it was burned into my head those were the last I had with him."

Jeff Brotherson, Cody’s father, also spoke.

"Cody was lucky to be able to fulfill the chance of being a police officer, he loved being on the force," Jeff Brotherson said. "...As a family we plead with you to give the police officers the respect they deserve."

A final musical number was followed by a moment of silence before remarks from Chief Lee Russo and a prayer.

A public viewing is scheduled for Sunday night and funeral services will be held Monday at the Maverik Center at 10 a.m.

A donation account to benefit the officer's family has been set up at America First Credit Union under the name Officer Cody Brotherson, account # 9089772. Donations can be made at any branch of the credit union.